Lading and condition indicator for freight cars



2 Sheets-Shea?I 1 R. A. LIGHT ET AL Filed Ja... 2o, 193e LADING ANDCONDITION INDICATOR FOR- FREIGHT CARS Aug. 3, 1937.

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LADING AND .CONDITION INDICATOR FOR 'FREIGHT CARS Filed Jan. 2o, 193e 2sheets-sne 2 Haal *7 22' 24 .9

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Patented Aug. 3, 1937 UNITED STATES LADING AND CONDITION INDICATOR Fonvlmizlclrl CARS Ralph Light, Cynwyd, and Joseph W. Price, Jr.,Philadelphia, Pa., assignors to The United .States Metallic PackingCompany, Philadelphia, Pa.,.a corporation of Pennsylvania ApplicationJanuary 20, 1936, Serial No. 59,870

8 Claims.

'I'his invention relatesto safety appliancesy and analogous means forindicating the character and condition of the contentsy of' freightcars, or the like, and it has forV its primary object the provision of aynovel form of lading and condition indicator including a rotativeelement characterized by differentiating colors which is movable so thatany one predetermined color, or a combination of colors, can be broughtinto registration With a sight opening' and thereby depict the characterand condition' of the car freight.

Another object of the invention is toprovide a lading and conditionindicator preferably adapted for use on railroad freight cars wherebythey can be more expeditiously handled', while the need for applicationof external markings incident to inspection Vor the use of tags iseliminated, and at the same ti'mevthe indicator is of a type andconstruction-to readily withstand the ravages' of constant exposure, orthe accidental loss of any of `its parts incident to changing thecharacter of the freight.

' Other objects and advantages of vthe invention will be eitherspecifically referred to or become apparent from the followingdescription, of Va preferred embodiment, when considered in conjunctionwith the accompanying sheets of drawings; while the characteristicfeatures of said invention are more conciselyexpressed in the claims atthe conclusion of this specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. I is a front elevation showing the im-Y indicatorl fordicated bythe arrows V-V in Fig. III showing'- the provisions ymade in the platecomponent of the device for reception and retainment of the inspectorscard.

As herein illustrated, the indicator of this invention comprises aplate-like component 6, which may be cast or fashioned from sheet metal,with a rearward flange 1 extending around its top and side edges. 'I'heplate component .6 is adapted to be secured to a board 8 ofcorresponding size by means of screws 9 with formation of an interspaceI0; and said board is in turn permanently fastened to the side of arailroadcar or other type of freight carrier, not shown. Substantiallycentrally, near the bot- 5 tom, the plate component II! is provided witha circular window or sight orifice II, and to the right of said orifice,with a lateral pocket I2 for insertion of a two-fold inspectors ticketor card l I3 such as shown in Fig.V V, said pocket being 10 open at oneend to facilitate insertion of the card I3 and open at the back, asindicated at I4 in Fig. III, to provide outletfor any water that mightget into such pocket. y

Slightly below the center of the plate-like component 6 there is fittedto its inner side an axis pin or shouldered stud I5, conveniently se- Ycured rigidly in place by a washer I6 and lock nut Il, and said stud isprovided with a head I8 affording abutment for a rotative classificationindicator or semaphore disc I9. This semaphore disc I9 is convenientlyformed with a surrounding bead or stiffening rim 23, an inner concentricbead 2|, and a series of circumferentially spaced tabs22, 23, havingslotsr24 therethrough. The semaphore disc I3 also has its outer facesuitably divided into six (for example) equal sectoral sections 25, 26,2l, 28, 29 and 30, inter` mediate the rim 29 and bead 2|; said sectionsbeing, respectively, colored to depictvwhite; red, black, blue, greenand yellow; or any other desired arrangement of coloring may obviouslybe adopted to suit the classes of cars used on different railroads. Itis also to be particularly noted that the slotted tabs 22 are locatedcentrally of the outer curvatures of the several sectoral sections25-30; while the tabs 23 overlap the radial junctures of the adjoiningdifferently-colored segmental sections, as clearly shown in Fig. III,and for a .purpose hereinafter explained.

Intermediate the semaphore disc I9 and the inner face of the plate-likecomponent 6, and frictionally coactive with said inner `face and thebead 2| of said disc I9, is a somewhatseci-A toral auxiliary indicator3l having a Surrounding bead 32, a cut-out 33 with inwardly projectingtabs 34, 35, respectivelybearing thev legends empty and 10aded; as wellas an elongated circumferential tab 36 having two slots 3l, 38therethrough, for purposes later on set forth.

Referring again to the inspectors card or lateral pocket I2, it is to beobserved from Figs. III and V that the same is provided with a pluralityof openings 39 through the plate wall 6 to reduce frictional adherencethereto of the card I3, as well as a medially-located outset orembossment 4I] serviceable to hold the card I3 against the confrontingportion of a face plate 4I that conforms with the plate-like component6, and which is conveniently clamped thereto by the screws 9 withinterposition of lock washers 42, in an obvious manner.

As best appreciated from Fig. I, and in order that the meaning of thedifferent color or colors exposed to view through the sight orifice IImay be readily understood, the face plate 4I is pro-l vided withcolumnar divisions 43 corresponding with the series of colors includedin the segmental sections 25-30 of the classication indicator orsemaphore disc I9, and other divisions 44 depicting selectedcombinations of colors, such as 30-25, 29-30, 28-29, and 27-26.Associated with each of the divisions 43, 44 are aligned divisions 45including informative data as to the type of car and the freightcarryable therein, the attention desirable before loading, as well asthe condition of the car generally. Obviously the informative datacontained in the divisions is subject to change to suit the varyingclasses of cars used by the respective railroads.

In use, it will be readily understood that when the car is inspected thesemaphore disc I9 can be readily turned on its pivot I5, by applicationof the ngers to the tabs 22, until the proper color, or combined colors,that correctly indicate the condition of the car to which the device isfixed, registers with the sight opening II, Whereupon a conventional carseal 46 is engaged through the slot 47 in a depending offset or tab 48of the plate-like component S, as well as through the slot 31 of theauxiliary indicator 3|, and the selected color slot 24 (for example) ofthe classification indicator or semaphore disc I9, thus locking theparts 3|, I9 in correct posi- Ition, to not only depict whether the caris loaded or empty but, in addition, the character of the freight andcondition of the car. Obviously, when the car is empty the auxiliaryindicator 3l vwill be swung counterclockwise, from the position shown inFig. I, to move the legend empty into registration with the sightorifice II, stops 49 serving to limit movement or" said indicator, in anobvious manner. Furthermore it will be readily understood that when oneor other of the combination colors on the semaphore disc I9 is movedinto registration with the sight orice II that the car seal 46 will bepassed through the slot 24 of the associated tab 23; also that when thecar is empty said seal will be inserted through the slot 38 of theauxiliary indicator 3|.

From the foregoing disclosure, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it is thought the complete construction, operation, andnumerous advantages of the invention will be readily appreciated bythose skilled in the art; and that various minor modifications may beeffected without departing from the spirit and scope of said inventionas more particularly featured in the following claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A lading and condition indicator for freight cars and the likecomprising a plate-like component flanged to define a downwardly-openenclosure, a sight opening near said component lower edge, a semaphoredisk rotatively mounted on said component within the enclosure portionthereof, said disk having segmental differentiating indications on itsface, and means whereby the indications can be individually, or inadjoining pairs, displayed in selective registration with the sightopening. f

2. A lading and condition-indicator for freight cars and the likeaccording to claim 1, including means whereby the semaphore disk can besecured against movement after adjustment.

. 3. A lading and condition indicator for freight cars and the likeaccording to claim 1, wherein the semaphore disk'y is provided withaperturedtabs projecting beyond its periphery, corresponding in positiontothe sectoral indications on its face, adapted for registry with anaperture in the plate to receive a securing means.

4. A lading and condition indicator for freight cars and the likeaccording to claim 1, wherein the semaphore disk` is provided with aninner and circumferential stiiener beads, said disk also havingperipherally-projecting tabs with circumferentially elongate aperturestherein, corresponding in position to the indications on its face, andadapted for registry with a corresponding elongate aperture through theplate-like component for passage of the metallic ribbon of aconventional car seal.

5. Ajladingzand condition indicator for freight cars and the like,wherein the semaphore disk is provided with peripherally projecting tabscorresponding in position to the indications on its face, saidprojections being of a size to extend beyond the lower edge oftheplate-like component forV accessibility in turning the disk; and whereinsaid projections are vprovided with elongate apertures for selectiveregistry with an apertured offset below the plate-like component toreceive means for securing the disk Yagainst movementafter adjustment.

6. A lading and conditioning indicator for freight cars and the like inaccordance with claim 1 wherein the indications consist of differentlycolored sectoral areas.

7. A lading and condition indicator for freight cars and the likeaccording to claim 1, wherein the indications consist of differentlycolored sectoral areas and wherein the disk has apertured tabsvprojecting outwards of its periphery, some of said tabs'being centrallyaligned with the segmental areas and others at the radial dividing linesbetween said areas, and all of said apertured tabs being adapted forregistry with an apertured tab belowthe plate-like component, to receivea suitable securing means, with the solid colors of selected areas orportions of adjoining areas exposed at the sight opening in the plate.

8. A lading and conditioning indicator for freight cars and the like inaccordance with claiml including a peripherally stiffened sectorcoaxially mounted with the semaphore disk and carrying Hempty and loadedindications capable of selective display with predetermined sectoralindications of said disk at the sight opening.

RALPH A. LIGHT. JOSEPH W. PRICE, JR.

